One Page Behind
by Ktime
Summary: No matter how hard he tried, or how much they grew, It kept coming back to the same old story; he was ready, she wasn't, he was always left wanting more, she was always one page behind.


**Hey guys, I'm back**

**So this is just a look at Micheal and Stella's relationship over the years**

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><p>From the day he met her, he knew she'd be death off him<p>

She was amazing, she was hot and she was way out of his league

She was everything that he was attracted to

So he flirted with her

And she flirted back

Only he flirted with the intent of a further relationship

She flirted for shits and gigs

Because he was cute, he was friendly but he wasn't what she was looking for

Because she was young, she'd party all night and run all day, she didn't need anything or anyone holding her back

Especially not him

He was her college

He was her friend

He was too much for her to handle

And the worst part was, he didn't get that

He was so fucking naive

But never the less their relationship eventually grew into something more

One minute Michael was rescuing come old lady out of a sinking car, the next they knew, they were going at it in the bathroom.

But then it came back to the same old story, he was ready, she wasn't

She was one page behind just like usual, and no matter obvious it was, he was just too naïve to slow down

So he went back to flirting, and the incisive attempts to impress her

And she went back to ignoring it

Because she wasn't ready, for him

Because she was involved

Because he just didn't get it

He tried to play the part of the best friend, to be supportive and encouraging, and for the most part he was incredible

But it just wasn't enough for him

He tried to maintain that he was a good a person but after sleeping with her after her girlfriend left, and again after she'd killed an innocent man, he was struggling to convince even himself

It's not like she was opposed to the idea, quite the opposite actually, she was all for it, it was what came after, that caused the issue

To him the sex was imperative

To her the sex was meaningless

It was the way she'd blow off steam; it allowed her to forget, just for a moment, to forget all the crappy stuff that she went through. She knows it's selfish, but at the times he approached her, she was too far gone to even give a shit

She needed to forget

And Michael was there; to her it was as simple as that

And he was to fucking naïve not to see that

Because despite of the time that passed and their personal growth, he's still one page ahead. It's like he started the book one day too early, and he's not putting it down. Because she's still reading and despite the effort he's just not giving her the time to catch up

Because when she collapses at the stadium, he still insists on ringing her to check up, and when she doesn't answer her phone, he finds himself at her door. He ignores the fact that he has a girlfriend, because that doesn't matter

Because this is just a friend checking on another friend, nothing more

But when she opens the door with puffy eyes and falls into his arms, her vulnerability seeping through, he forgets all about his 'girlfriend' at home. Because the woman in his arms is the one he loves, she's the one he's loved since the moment he saw her, and when she closed the door and threw herself at him, he couldn't say no.

And fuck he wishes he could

He wishes for that so much

But he just can't, because he can't help but think that maybe this time she won't kick him out in the morning, maybe this time she'll finally see in him, what he sees in her.

And he's so blinded by what he so desperately wants to see, that he doesn't even notice the signs. He doesn't notice that this is the exact same situation as the last two times.

So history repeats itself

Because she's not ready

And he's too naïve to see that

So they were back to where started, like nothing had changed

Because realistically it hadn't

He was her best friend

But she was the love of his life

And he wished so badly that he meant more to her, he wished so badly that feelings he had for her were mutual

So he continued his attempts to impress her

To try and prove himself

But she just wasn't ready

So when Charlie came in and kicked him out on his ass, she did everything she could to save his job, because she didn't want things to change

Because she was happy with things were

And she just couldn't do it

So she found him outside waiting at her house, like he had done so many times before

"You're my best friend" and with those words his heart broke

Because he thought when TR was over they'd finally stop all this dancing around each other crap, and finally move forward, he thought finally they'd be on the same page

But apparently he was wrong

"I feel like I'm never going to see you again" she said desperately

And he doesn't have the strength to tell her other wise

Because he can't do this anymore

He spent three years chasing after her, waiting for her to catch up

And he's over it

Over her

At least that's what he tried to tell himself

So when Kerry offers him the undercover position, he takes it without a second thought

Because that was the clean break he was looking for, it gave him the opportunity and time to get away from it all

From her

So he concentrated on work, he didn't call, he didn't visit, he didn't contact her in anyway

It took two months, but by the time he walked back into TR he was over her

That's what he thought anyway

But as she offered him her irresistible grin, all the suppressed feelings he'd spent so long burying over the last months came flooding back

And he was straight back to wear he was

Back to trying to impress her

Back to trying to prove himself

So he agreed to the Op, because he thought, just maybe this would be enough to win her over once and for all

How fucking stupid was that

So when Josh told him not to get in that car he didn't listen

Because he'd already gone this far, he couldn't stop now

But god she wished he did

She never wanted something so badly in her life

She hates him for being so naïve, for being so fucking stupid

She hates herself for putting him in that position, for not being mature enough to just grow up and be ready for the relationship that he'd been chasing for so many years.

And it's not until she's standing at his bedside long after they turned off the life support machines, that they were finally on the same page

Because he died

He stopped reading

And she caught up

It was just too damn late

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><p><strong>I don't really like Micheal that much, so sorry if it seems a bit harsh haha<strong>

**Please review and let me know what you think, and if you've got any other ideas for stories just let me know :) :)**

**Review XD**

**Keelzz64**


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